Tag: la festa di san giuseppe
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Of course, Sfince di San Giuseppe
For many, the highlight of the Saint Joseph’s Day feast is the sweet sfince di San Giuseppe. Sfinci are fried cream puffs served hot with a dusting of cinnamon, confectioner’s sugar, and honey, or cold and open-faced with a smear of sweet cream and decorated with candied orange. Depending on the town, sfinci may have…
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An Act of Prayer for Saint Joseph
Women devotees prepare altars for weeks leading up to the La Festa di San Giuseppe or Saint Joseph’s Day. The breads that they create, most of which are not meant to be eaten, are artistically shaped into wreaths, lilies, daisies, fava beans in their pods, fish, butterflies, doves, chalices, hearts, hands, and carpentry tools such…
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Saint Joseph’s Day: Bread Loaves of Devotion
Most prominent element of the altars for Saint Joseph, or le tavolate di San Giuseppe, are the sculpted loaves of bread that represent fertility and prosperity. Celebrate Saint Joseph’s Day in New York City with Experience Sicily, Gelsomino Imports, and Eolo Seasonal Sicilian Kitchen on Sunday, March 20 at 3PM. More details at http://eolonewyork.com/st-josephs-day-feast-2016/. Call…
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Saint Joseph’s Day: A Celebration of Bread
Probably the most distinct ritual of Saint Joseph’s Day revolves around the celebration of bread, which in Sicily and southern Italy is sacred because wheat is the most important crop of the region. The preparation of altars, or tables, known as le tavolate di San Giuseppe (or a Tavulatu di San Giuseppe in Sicilian), are…
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Maccu di Favi, Fava Bean Puree
There is no mistake that Saint Joseph’s Day coincides with the spring equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, the month of March marks a period of scarcity before the Earth yields new crops. The festivities of the Feast are linked to the land, vegetation, and the animal kingdom. It is a feast of thanksgiving for having…
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Saint Joseph: Patron Saint of Fathers
San Giuseppe, or Saint Joseph, is one of the most venerated saints south of Rome. The spouse of the Virgin Mary and the guardian-father of Jesus, he is regarded as the patron saint of fathers. In fact, in Italy, Saint Joseph’s Day, March 19, is also Father’s Day. Saint Joseph is regarded as the protector…
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Prayers for Thanksgiving, Charity, and Abundance
March 19 is the Festa di San Giuseppe or Saint Joseph’s Day. Legend is that in Sicily and southern Italy during the 10th century, a drought caused a severe famine. The faithful prayed to Saint Joseph to bring rain, and in return, they promised to hold a feast in his honor. Rain and recovery from…
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Burn the Old
Annually on the night of March 18, it is customary for Sicilians to light purifying bonfires. Those faithful to Saint Joseph, or San Giuseppe, burn old and broken possessions they don’t want to carry into the new agricultural year that begins on March 19 with la Festa di San Giuseppe. Read more about la Festa…
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Let’s Talk about Sfinci
Saint Joseph’s Day, which is on March 19, is a complex feast day with many traditions based upon the concept of thanksgiving. You can read my detailed article about it on The Inquisitive Eater at http://ow.ly/uuAuT. But let’s cut to the chase: we all really want to know about dessert, right? That’s where sfince di…